


Home on the Range

by Writer_Geekgirl



Series: Castiel and Dean: An AU Love Story [12]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Western, Cowboy Castiel, Cowboy Dean Winchester, Destiel Promptober, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-13
Updated: 2018-10-13
Packaged: 2019-08-01 07:12:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16280033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writer_Geekgirl/pseuds/Writer_Geekgirl
Summary: In the ongoing series in which the Winchesters visit alternate realities, Sam, Dean, and Castiel end up as ranch hands on a cattle ranch. Who knew it was so hard to herd cows?This work is part of the Destiel Promptober in which there is a different AU theme for each day in October. The AU for the day is Cowboy.





	Home on the Range

Castiel looked at the horse with trepidation. "Dean, I can walk. I don't get tired."

Dean snorted, "The ranch hand said we were supposed to round up the cows in the south pasture. You can't do that on foot."

The previous night, Castiel, Dean, and Sam had gone to sleep at a rundown motel on the outskirts of Virginia City, Nevada. Today, they woke up at a ranch on the outskirts of that same town in the 1950s. They had skipped realities sometime during the night. Immediately upon exiting the bunkhouse, they were told to take the three horses in the corral to bring one of the herds down for their annual vet visit.

Dean acted like a kid at a rodeo, instead of worrying about changing realities again. In this one, he (and more importantly, Castiel) were dressed in cowboy boots and hats. Sam looked at Dean sourly, "First, we know nothing about cows. Second, every single other time, we fixed it by helping Castiel with a problem. Cas is with us this time. Third, we really don't know anything about cows."

Dean snorted, "Maybe whoever the cosmic practical prankster on us is, it’s trying to make up for us not making it to Disneyland by giving us a little dude ranch vacation. All I know is that when we go with the flow, we get to go home. So, let's get flowing."

Castiel sighed. He murmured something to the dark horse who then stood perfectly still for him to mount it. Dean watched Castiel's rear in his tight jeans as he swung his leg over the back of the horse and settle into the saddle. He wouldn't mind staying in this reality for a while if it meant Castiel kept wearing the cowboy boots, jeans, and hat. He was surprised when his horse suddenly tossed its head neighing, knocking his hat off into the mud. 

Dean grumbled, "Son of a bitch." He picked up his hat and brushed it off. He mounted his grey horse without another word. 

Castiel said, "My horse's name is Jet, Sam's is Rocket, and yours is Petunia." Castiel tried to hide his smirk unsuccessfully. 

Sam got on the tall sorrel horse. "This one fits a little better than the last horse you made me ride, Dean."

"A horse doesn't fit you, you fit the horse, bitch," Dean muttered,

Sam aimed the horse at of the paddock gate. "Whatever, jerk." Sam and Rocket trotted out through the fence and started down a trail to the south.

Dean stared at his horse. "Aren't you going to move too, Petunia?" He jiggled the reins a bit. 

"I thought you knew western stuff, Dean. Let go of her reins some. You're holding her head in too tight, and she doesn't like it."

"I knew that, Cas." He sent the horse after Sam, while Castiel followed. Judging by the sun they were heading south. They rode down the trail for about an hour and a half hour before they saw the herd of about fifty cows behind a gate. Sam pulled up Rocket and looked at Dean, "Now, what do we do, Slick?"

"Chase them? You take the left and I'll take the right. Cas, you stay here and don't move until you need to open the gate us after we get them started that way."

Castiel pushed the brim of his hat up higher on his head. "Dean, I'm not sure this is a good idea."

Dean yelled, "Yee-haw," and sent Petunia galloping towards a group of the cattle. Instead of heading towards the gate, the cattle scattered all over the pasture, heading further south. 

Sam snorted, "Really swift, Dean." Sam got off his horse and stretched his muscles. He rubbed Rocket's neck before he pulled out a canteen and took a long drink.

"I should have gotten behind them before chasing them," Dean said confidently. He rode around the cows until he was to the south of them and slowly tried to herd them towards the gate. An old tan and white cow stood there and just stared at him while he whooped and hollered around her. She leaned down and took a bite of grass and looked up at Dean placidly. Green drool escaping the corner of her mouth.

"Move it, sister," Dean grunted.

The cow looked at him placidly and took another mouthful of grass. Sam hid behind his horse to make sure Dean couldn't see how hard he was laughing. 

Castiel remained where Dean told him to wait by the gate, absent-mindedly braiding Jet's mane and telling him the story of how man domesticated horses.

Dean roared at Sam, "A little help here?"

Sam mounted Rocket, still laughing, and rode to the outskirts of the herd. He fruitlessly tried to get the cows to go towards the gate. The old tan and white cow didn't budge. All the other cattle would return to her area as soon as they could get past the horses. After a half hour, Sam rode his horse to a waterhole on one edge of the pasture to let Rocket take a drink. Dean begrudgingly did the same for Petunia after a moment.

Castiel called out, "Can I leave this spot now?"

Dean shouted, "Knock yourself out." Dean looked startled a moment later when Jet joined them at the waterhole riderless.

He turned around and saw Castiel with one arm around the cow, talking to her in a low voice. The cow looked up at him, chewing her cud. After a couple of minutes, she started ambling towards the gate. Castiel whistled, and Jet turned trotted back to him. Castiel mounted Jet and headed to the gate. After he opened the gate, the cattle calmly followed him out. Castiel called out, "Elsa said you should close the gate when you guys come through." 

Castiel rode abreast with Elsa, while Sam and Dean followed behind them. They didn't need to herd the cattle. They all followed Castiel and Elsa obediently.

Sam leaned over to Dean, "Your boyfriend, the cow whisperer."

"Shut up, Sam. He used angel mojo. That just ain't right."

Sam smirked, "It wasn't a competition. We just needed to move the cows. I guess Cas is the real cowboy."

Dean shifted in the saddle uncomfortable. He was hot, sweaty, and his rear felt every minute of the long ride up to the pasture and back. He sighed in relief as the ranch house came into sight. Sam and Rocket galloped past Castiel, so he could open the gate for the herd. 

After the herd was secured, Castiel slid off of Jet and talked quietly to him for a minute. "Follow me," he said, tossing a look at the Winchesters. They followed him into the barn where Castiel was removing the saddle from his horse. 

After the horses were groomed and put in stalls, Sam wandered off to the ranch house to figure out if there was another reason they were there. Other reality skips had them do something, at least marginally heroic. So far, this place was a bust.

After Sam left, Dean sat on a bale of hay. Castiel took off his hat and swiped the sweat off his forehead with his sleeve. "These ridiculous hats make my head sweat."

Dean looked at him, "I thought you don't perspire under any circumstance."

"This place, this process of moving realities dampens my grace. I had enough to talk to Elsa and Jet, but that's about it. Which means my rear also hurts, a fly bit my neck and itches, and I'm tired and unpleasantly hungry," Castiel fanned himself with the hat, a drop of sweat trickling down his throat. He leaned against the wall.

Dean gulped as he watched Castiel. The hat, the boots, the sweat, the jeans. It's as if just about every cowboy fantasy he ever had just sprung to life.

Castiel noticed Dean staring. He squinted his eyes and looked at Dean intently. Dean licked his lips and let his eyes travel up and down Castiel's body. Castiel raised one eyebrow inquiringly. 

Dean stood up and took a step towards Castiel.

Sam broke into the room, "Now, get this. The ranch house is haunted…"

Dean growled, "Son of a bitch."


End file.
